The Vine Issue 2 – 2023

COLLEGE PRINCIPAL

Mr James Tamblyn

It was my pleasure this week to attend separate induction Assemblies for our 2023 Junior School Pedare Student Voice (PSV) Representatives and for our Middle School Student Leaders. Both Assemblies were very special occasions, with families present to help the community officially welcome students into these roles. Congratulations to all students who are taking on a leadership position this year and thanks to you all for your commitment to ensuring the student voice at Pedare is heard. 

At the Middle School Assembly, we revisited some practices that leaders can implement to develop trust. With trust comes strong teams, leading to teamwork and ultimately positive outcomes. Specifically, we reflected on the following trust-building practices:

Listen 

Talking is easy. Listening is hard. Listening is about connecting with the other person deeply. ‘Active listening’ requires you to put aside your own opinion, so you are fully attentive to the person speaking. Genuine listening builds trust. And it’s rare. Great leaders really listen to others. 

Provide affirmation

This means letting people know that you recognise what they have done and are grateful for their efforts. All of us have the desire to be appreciated and valued; nobody is immune to the motivating effects of being thanked. And saying ‘thank you’ increases the likelihood of others helping not only you, but helping someone else too. 

Visibility 

Be present to the people you have been entrusted to lead. There is real value in being with your people, hearing people’s stories, knowing people’s names, celebrating the great things that are happening, and modelling your own expectations. Being visible gives the people who follow you the chance to get to know you, to see if you are genuine, and to learn what you stand for. 

Paul Browning’s book ‘Principled’ outlines the merits of these practices, and other trust-building suggestions, in further detail.  

This week we commenced the season of Lent as we prepare for Jesus’ death and resurrection at Easter. In the Christian faith, it is common practice to give something up or take something on during Lent to deepen our relationship with God. Students ate pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, a symbol of preparing for a period of fasting. A number of staff and community members joined the parishioners of St Mark’s Anglican Church, Golden Grove, for an Ash Wednesday Service, marking the first day of Lent, whilst all Junior School students attended services at the College. 

As we head towards Easter, may the words of this Youth Prayer for Lent sow the seed of a conversation for you with your children about this time of preparation.

Lord,
Teach me a new freedom.
Freedom to reject comparison
And to embrace uniqueness.
Freedom to cut ties with greed
And feast on love.
Freedom to abstain from over indulgence
And feast on self-control.
Freedom to leave behind selfish thoughts
And to focus on the needs of others.
Freedom to fend off insecurity
And to embrace grace.
Lord, at this time of Lent,
Thank you for the freedom you bring.
Amen
(a Lenten prayer for young people from www.lords-prayer-words.com)

ACTING HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

Mr Josh Willis

On Thursday, 9 February, we had the pleasure of welcoming back some of our esteemed old scholars to speak to our Year 12 students about their experiences in their final year at Pedare. They shared insights, struggles and tips for managing the pressures of Year 12 and achieving academic success. They highlighted the importance of prioritising workload, managing time effectively and seeking support when needed. This was an incredibly valuable experience for our Year 12s as the old scholars shared that while the final year can be challenging, it is also an incredibly rewarding experience that sets the foundation for future success. We are so grateful to our old scholars for sharing their time, knowledge and experiences with our students. We hope this discussion will continue to inspire our students to achieve their academic and personal goals this year. 

As we approach the midpoint of the term, we have emphasised these messages to all our Senior students. We understand that the academic demands of Senior School can be challenging and that students face a multitude of responsibilities inside and outside of the classroom. Managing all of these can be overwhelming, and as assessments and workload increase, we encourage students to proactively communicate with their teachers, stay connected to their peers and seek support from members of our Pastoral team. We have fantastic and supportive staff who are all here to support your child’s success and are committed to working with you to help them reach their full potential. We encourage families to reach out to your child’s teacher and pastoral staff if you have any questions or need support in any way. 

HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

 Mr Callum Iles

On Thursday, 23 February, we celebrated the Middle School Leadership Induction Assembly. This was a wonderful time when the Year 9 Middle School Leaders received their badges, made their leadership promises and were introduced to the school community. The leaders we presented were an exceptional group of young people, and I am so excited to see what they will achieve throughout the year.

This year we introduced a few new leadership positions in the Middle School that are worth sharing. As an IB MYP School, international-mindedness underpins all of our taught curriculum. The new Global Captains are tasked with supporting the Languages Department in enhancing the global-mindedness of our school community and further deepening our connections with the world around us. The new Wellbeing Captains are tasked with looking at ways the wellbeing of students and staff can be enhanced, and I am excited about the possibilities of this new position. In addition to these new positions, the roles of Service Captains, Community Captains and Middle School Captains continue on from previous years.   

During the Assembly, I spoke about an article I came across recently called ‘Stop trying to raise successful kids: And start raising kind ones’, by Adam Grant in Atlantic Magazine. It was a fascinating article that looked at how we often think that kindness and achievement are mutually exclusive. However, the research shows that the kindest kids are also the highest achievers.

Grant referred to a survey where parents were asked what they wanted for their kids, and more than 90% said they wanted their kids to be caring. But when those same kids were asked what their parents wanted, 81% said their parents prioritised achievements. There was a discrepancy between what the parents said and what they did. They said they wanted kind children, but their actions show they really wanted them to be successful.

Grant continued, saying that this subtle message is communicated throughout society more broadly where kids ‘see their peers being celebrated primarily for the grades they get and the goals they score, not for the generosity they show.’ I see this in myself as a parent when I ask my son, ‘Did you win basketball?’ rather than ‘Did you play with a good spirit?’ or ‘Did you play as a team?’ Grant’s sentiment challenges me.

During the Assembly, the Bible reading we read came from Colossians 3, where the memorable verse, ‘whatever you do, do it under the Lord’, was shared and expertly explored by College Chaplain John Morton. I reflected on how this says that God is concerned less with what we do and more with how we do it. He wants us to do significant things with our lives, but more importantly, he calls us to live our lives in a way that honours him. Whatever we do, do it as if to the Lord.

At Pedare, we are always talking about how it matters how we treat people, and the wonderful thing this article shows is that when we are kind, we are creating the conditions to achieve success as well. The article references multiple studies that show the kindest kids often turn out to be the most successful anyway. And the kindest, selfless leaders will get the best results. This was my encouragement to the Middle School Leaders.

HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

Mr Randall Pearce

Pedare Student Voice (PSV)

On Friday, 21 February, we inducted our JS Pedare Student Voice representatives. These children were selected by their classmates to represent them to help bring about positive changes within the school. 

As a member of PSV, we expect :

• Assist the College staff and other Student Leaders in building a culture of respect within our Pedare Community.
• Offer positive leadership to fellow students.
• Offer leadership in PSV and class meetings, and display organisation, positive participation and encouragement.
• Set the highest standards in accordance with the Christian ethos of the College.
• Exhibit a positive role model of punctuality, attendance, study habits, involvement in lessons, personal grooming and behaviour.

I congratulate the following students:

SIBLING ENROLMENT
Ensure a Position will be Available

PARENTS AND ASSOCIATION (P&F) NEWS

‘THE LANGUAGE OF FRIENDSHIP’ WORKSHOP

Contents

Excursion to St Peter’s Cathedral – Stage 2 Religion Studies

Adelaide CBD Excursion – Year 9 Art and Anarchy

Author Visit – Year 6

Leadership Day – Junior School Captains

Fossil ID Practical with Guest Palaeontologist – Year 11

Schultute – Year 6

Excursion to St Peter’s Cathedral

Stage 2 Religion Studies

On Monday, 13 February, our Year 12 students had the privilege of visiting the historical and magnificent St Peter’s Cathedral in the heart of Adelaide. During their visit, they learned about the rich history and religious significance of the Cathedral in the Anglican tradition. Students were captivated by the beautiful stained-glass windows that depict stories of Jesus’ life and are full of symbolic meaning. They also gained a deeper understanding of the Cathedral’s impact on the local community and its place in Adelaide’s history. 

Overall, the students’ visit to St Peter’s Cathedral was an unforgettable educational experience that helped deepen their appreciation for the role of Religion within our society. This experience will enable the students to complete their first Summative task in Stage 2 Religion Studies.

Ms Sue Tula

Adelaide CBD Excursion

Year 9 Art & Anarchy

On Tuesday, 14 February, Mrs Benyk took the Year 9 Art students into the city to walk the streets to explore the impact of Street Art on our environment. Students loved seeing first-hand artworks that are shaping our cityscape. Street Art comes in many forms, and the excursion allowed the students to make connections with messages and meaning, as well as gain a deeper understanding of the techniques and processes involved. The Adelaide CBD provided the students with rich moments of inquiry and value-based judgements around purpose, legalities and beauty. Students saw art in alleys, laneways, transitions and backstreets, and were able to juxtapose these works with the works and presentations in the Art Gallery of South Australia. 

Mrs Emily Kenny

Author Visit – Allayne Webster

Year 6

Local author, Allayne Webster, visited Year 6 students and conducted writing workshops to inspire their creativity on Tuesday, 14 February. During the workshops, Allayne shared her writing process and techniques with the students and provided them with useful tips on how to develop their own writing skills. It was inspiring to hear some of Allayne’s stories and learn how to connect with an audience through writing stories that ‘have heart’.

Mr Justin Henriks

Leadership Day

Junior School Captains

On Tuesday, 14 February, all 2023 Junior School Captains went to Woodhouse in the Adelaide hills for Leadership Day.

The first thing we did was enter a maze. Unlike an ordinary maze, the task was not just to find the way out. There were 20 dead ends, and posted on each one was a riddle. The first one was: ‘If a rooster sat north, which way would the egg come from?’ The answer is that a rooster does not lay eggs, so the egg wouldn’t come from anywhere! Eventually, we all finished the maze, and regardless of how many riddles were answered, we all escaped after many twists and turns.

Next up was Challenge Hill. There was a set of obstacles heading up and then down the hills of Woodhouse to get through. But you might be wondering how that is connected to leadership. 

Some obstacles were challenging and hard, and some were easy. Everyone there had a completely different idea of what they considered a difficult or an easy challenge. For example, on the first challenge, I was worried because I wasn’t used to climbing over the ladder, the wood I was meant to swing over was slippery, and my hands filled with sweat. Just when I thought I couldn’t do it, my fellow Captains started to cheer me on, saying I can do it, I’m grateful that they made me believe I could do it, and I did. I mastered going around that when we were doing similar challenges and helped some of the other Captains. We all faced challenges during the course, and in the end, we supported each other to get through!  

We were given booklets to fill out, and they had questions like ‘what do people think a good leader is?’ After completing all the challenges, all Captains returned to school with the booklets filled out with what they learned from each activity.

Gemma CB & Jameson H (2023 Junior School Captains)

Fossil ID Practical with Guest Palaeontologist

Year 11 Stage 1 Earth and Environmental Science

On Friday, 17 February, the Year 11 Stage 1 Earth and Environmental Science students welcomed a guest Palaeontologist, Dr Felicity Coutts, to their class. Felicity took the students on a journey back through geological time, showing them rock samples indicating past environments and a range of fossils showing evidence of ancient life. She described the geological history of South Australia, talking about the formation of the Adelaide Hills and Flinders ranges and explaining that the presence of a large inland sea during the Cretaceous Period has resulted in the marine fossils we find in these areas today. Students made observations of the rocks and took detailed notes as they began working on their first Summative Assessment Task. They will complete the second part of the task next week when we visit Willunga Caves to observe fossils in the limestone cliffs and Hallett Cove to look at evidence of ancient glaciation.

Mrs Bronwyn Dutch

Schultüte

Year 6

Willkommen In Der Schule (Welcome to School)

When a German child starts school, they receive a Schultüte (school package) filled with stationery and other special treats. The package is shaped like a cone and is often as big as the little six-year-olds themselves.

Year 6s have been learning a little about school life in Germany and had the opportunity to decorate their own Schultüte. 

We love the chance to celebrate and participate in this lovely German tradition. Although our Year 6s are not new to school life, they are new to Middle School. Each child received their own Schultüte and a hearty German handshake!!

Alles Gute in der sechste Klasse (All the best for year 6)

Mrs Nicole Callen

NEWS, UPDATES AND RESULTS

The Pedare Extra-Curricular Team are excited to bring you a new portal, containing information and links all in one location to our Sports and Clubs program.

The Portal is updated regularly to bring you the latest news, announcements, updates, results and more of Pedare Extra-curricular activities and events.

Tea Tree Gully Anglican

Tea Tree Gully Anglican Church is a group of Christians who seek to serve Jesus in everything we do. Whether you are just visiting or looking for a Christian home, we aim to be a loving and supportive family for you. We meet at the church at 8.30 am, 10.00 am, and 6.00 pm in person. If you can’t join us just yet, we’ll continue to stream at 8.30 am and 10.00 am online using Zoom and YouTube  Service times are 8.30 am and 10.00 am.

Please contact Dave Brown at dave@ttganglican.org.au for more details, or check their Facebook page for links.

If you are struggling and would like to talk with someone from the church during these trying times, please phone 8264 3736.

Tea Tree Gully Uniting – Banksia Markets

Tea Tree Gully Uniting host the ‘local and friendly’ Banksia Markets on the first Saturday of each month from 8.30 am to 1.00 pm at 600 Milne Road, Banksia Park. Stalls inside the hall and in the car park include produce, fresh fruit and vegetables, jewellery, tools, bric-à-brac and lots more.

For more information, contact the TTG Uniting Church website at https://www.ttguc.org.au/

Golden Grove Uniting Church

Golden Grove Uniting Church, corner of Crouch and One Tree Hill Road, Golden Grove, has a traditional service at 10 am on a Sunday.  Also, on the second and fourth Sunday of the month, we have a cafe-style church, a relaxed contemporary worship service at 6 pm in the Church hall.

Café Youth is a fun, interactive program for young people ages 14 and up looking to engage in topics of faith. Café Youth sessions start with a fun 30-minute activity based on the theme for the night, then followed by “Talk Time”, during which the group discusses a topic of faith while enjoying delicious snacks, refreshments and pizza! The cost for each session is $5.

For further information, please contact the Office at 8251 4298 or email office@goldengroveuniting.org.au  You can even check our webpage: https://www.goldengroveuniting.org.au

Please click here to visit the College Calendar for a full list of College events